Question:
What if one forgot to say shehcheyanu ? Can he still say it as long as the candles are burning?
Answer:
The Beracha of Shehechiyanu was instituted for uncommon or periodical occurrences and experiences, such as holidays and their mitzvot, fruits in their new season, major purchases, and exciting news.
According to some it is preferable to say Shehecheyanu before the Bracha on the fruit, however, the minhag is to make the Bracha on the food and then the Shehecheyanu.
The Halachos Ketanos 1:236 writes that perhaps it is best to recite Shehechiyanu before the bracha on the food so that Shechiyanu isn’t an interruption between the bracha and eating. However, he concludes that he should say it earlier like we do for Lulav and Shofar that first we recite the Bracha of the Mitzvah and then the Shehechiyanu.The Kaf Hachaim 225:24 cites both opinions but concludes that the minhag is like the Halachot Ketanot to recite the Shehechiyanu after. The Mishna Brurah 225:11 writes that it’s preferable to say Shehecheyanu first in order not to make an interruption between the Bracha and eating. However,in sefer Vezot HaBracha (pg 159) writes that the minhag is to make the Bracha on the fruit first.
One only makes a bracha on the first time one eats the fruit (that year).If one forgot to make the Bracha before eating, one may make it as long as one has not finish eating; however once one finished, one can’t make a Shehecheyanu on that fruit.
If one forgot to say Shehecheyanu before lighting one can say it in the half hour after lighting. If one didn’t say it the first night one should say it the second night and so on. So too, if on the eighth night one forgot one can say it in the half hour after lighting.
The Shibolei HaLeket 186 and Orchot Chaim (Chanukah 10) quote a Teshuvat Hagoanim to which Rabbenu Yishaya says that one can say Shehecheyanu any day after the first when he remembers. The Piskei Rid (Shabbos 23a) explains it means one can only make the bracha at the time of the lighting. However, The Bach 676 in name of the Maharash says not to say Shehecheyanu the second night. Nonetheless,the Meiri (Shabbos 23a) and Riaz (23a), also write that one lights Shehecheyanu the first night one lights. This is also the opinion of Sh”t Maharam and Tur 676 in name of the Rosh .Se Shulchan Aruch 676:1.
Once the half hour of lighting has past one can’t say the Brachos anymore.
The Levush 676, Pri Chadash 676:1, and Shu”t Igrot Moshe 1:190 hold that one can only make the Shehecheyanu at the time of the lighting. However, there are other poskim that hold it can be said any time during Chanukah. Nonetheless, the Mishna Brurah (676:2) says that because of a Safek Brachos one doesn’t make Brachos past the time of lighting. The Taharat Mayim implies that by SheAssa Nissim one can say it anytime against some other poskim who hold SheAssa Nissim can only be said over the candles.
If someone had his wife or anyone else light for him the first night he fulfill his obligation of saying Shehecheyanu and shouldn’t say it the next night.
The Bach 676 says that his wife’s lighting with Brachos doesn’t exempt him from Shehecheyanu. So says the Eliyah Raba 676:5.The Torat HaMoadim 6:13 explain that this is the Bach according to his opinion that one who has someone lighting for him at home makes Brachos HaRoah; however since we hold (S”A 676:3) that if one has someone lighting for home doesn’t make Brachos HaRoah here too, one fulfills Shehecheyanu with his wife’s lighting. This is also the opinion of Sharei Knesset Hagedolah 676:2, Magen Avraham 676:2, Pri Megadim A”A 676:2, Mishna Brurah 676:7, and Kaf HaChaim 676:26. There are some that hold that we apply sofek brachos lehakel. |